UPDATE: Record rains already, and more to come

Published: Monday, September 23, 2013 at 7:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at 11:09 a.m.

Lightning split trees and blew the fascia off a house, flooded streets proved dangerous to navigate and the steady downpour set a rainfall record at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Monday.

The airport saw three inches of rain by midnight, breaking the Sept. 23 record of 2.67 inches set in 1947. But that wasn’t even the worst of it.

A weather observer in Englewood reported 6.6 inches of rain, while 5 inches fell in South Venice according to the National Weather Service.

Englewood Fire Department Captain Scott Lane said his crews responded to three lightning strikes Monday. Two lightning bolts struck trees, causing minor brush fires. Another strike charred the roof of a house on Clearwater Street in East Englewood and popped off some of the roof fascia.

Emergency workers also responded to a car that slid off McCall Road in Englewood. The driver was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.

“The main thing to point out is to make sure you use extreme caution when you’re on the road,” Lane said. “If you don’t have to go out, stay in.”

The Weather Service upgraded flood advisories for local rivers late Monday, warning that the Manatee River, Myakka River and Peace River are all expected to reach minor flood stage in the next 24 hours.

“Right now it seems like it will be minor river flooding but that can change quickly,” said Weather Service meteorologist Andrew McKaughan. “Especially with all this additional rain that’s offshore and coming over our area.”

The Weather Service is forecasting bouts of heavy rainfall in Sarasota and Manatee Counties through Wednesday.

Total rainfall at the airport for the month of September had reached eight inches by Monday, nearly an inch above the average rainfall for the entire month.

EARLIER: Keep that umbrella handy.

After record-setting rains soaked Sarasota and Manatee counties Monday, even more of the same is expected to continue for the next day or two, bringing the possibility of more street closures and flooding problems.

Forecasters say a stalled front across Florida is helping drag moisture across the peninsula, and the downpours could continue through Wednesday. This, after a record amount of rain fell Monday at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, with 3 inches recorded through midnight, breaking the record of 2.67 inches in 1947, the National Weather Service reported.

The conditions will aggravate flooding problems, especially in low-lying areas, with minor flooding expected on the Myakka River at Myakka River State Park beginning Tuesday night, according to Weather Service warnings. Late Monday, the river was forecast to exceed the 7-foot flood stage, and rise to 7.9 feet by Monday morning.

It could continue rising beyond that. At 8.5 feet, most of the park is closed.

A flood watch is in effect for the region through at least Tuesday night. The National Weather Service warns that some areas could see accumulated 48-hour rainfall totals of more than six inches by Tuesday evening and minor to moderate flooding.

“This more than just your typical summer rains,” said Weather Service meteorologist Ernie Jillson.

Rainfall at the airport so far this month is slightly below the average for all of September.

Monday's rain led to a handful of street closures in Sarasota and pushed rivers near flood stage. The Myakka and Manatee rivers are forecast to hit minor flood stage Wednesday, while the Peace River should crest just below flood stage.

A low pressure system has been moving along the boundary of a cold front that stalled over the Florida Panhandle, pushing tropical moisture east across the state.

Forecasters predict the rain will come in waves through Wednesday before the region begins to dry out.

The city of Sarasota briefly closed U.S. 301 at Sixth Street on Monday morning after an intense rain burst. Officers also directed traffic away from St. Armands Circle, which was under water.

The streets quickly reopened.

“It was just a matter of so much rain so quickly in such a short period of time,” said Sarasota Police Department spokeswoman Genevieve Judge. “It kind of overwhelmed everything.”

The rainy summer season has helped erase a rainfall deficit incurred early in the year. In January and February, the Sarasota-Bradenton area's rainfall was nearly four inches below normal. But through Sunday, the airport rain gauge recorded 43.66 inches of rain, a touch below the normal total of 43.74. Monday's rain will push the annual total into the plus side.

Other records across the area also are falling, as 1.81 inches of rain has fallen on Tuesday in Fort Myers, surpassing the Sept. 24 record of 1.42 inches set in 1978, with more expected.

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